“I just love this team. I love being with my teammates,” said junior Erin Schwetye. It shows in her play.

After being moved into the starting lineup three weeks ago, she recorded the lone goal in a 1-0 victory over Marquette, who was second in Conference USA.

“Someone needed to step up and score a goal that meant something. I felt that if we lost that game, we wouldn’t make the conference tournament,” said coach Tim Champion. “She just elevated the level of play. She secured a starting spot the last few weeks.”

Schwetye also scored in the 6-0 thumping of DePaul last Sunday. For her efforts during the weekend, she was named C-USA Offensive Player of the Week. For her, the honor was startling.

“It truly was an honor,” said Schwetye. “It’s not just a conference honor, but an honor to be chosen from SLU’s soccer team. We have so much talent. It was an honor to be chosen from 30 players who just as easily could have been chosen.”

Schwetye has taken the concept of a team and incorporated it in everything that she does on the field and in how she approaches her role on the team.

“I want to support the other players,” Schwetye said. “I have to play hard and create opportunities for our offense while making sure that the other team doesn’t get the opportunities that we’re looking for.”

Schwetye made an immediate impact when she came to SLU. She played her first year at Loyala (Chicago) and started 17 games. She tallied two assists in those matches.

Schwetye’s return to St. Louis was not surprising. She had great success at St. Joseph’s Academy that helped fuel her drive at SLU.

“St. Joe’s was a great experience,” Schwetye said. “We were so competitive, but so talented. That combination made an ultimate winning machine. Playing with such great players, like I do at SLU, makes you better. Their talent enhances the talent that you have. Winning two state championships my junior and senior year has given me such a drive, not only in soccer but in life as well.”

As a sophomore at SLU, Schwetye appeared in all 21 matches and worked her way into the starting lineup at the end of the year. Again she recorded two assists, one of which came on Jenny Kehl’s game-winning goal against Tulane in the C-USA Tournament.

But Schwetye’s road to SLU started long before her freshman year at Loyola.

“I’ve known Coach since I was in third grade. I went to his camp at Chaminade High School. He came over to me and wanted to move me up to a higher age group because of my speed. He had a lot of faith in me early on. I respect him as a coach and as a person in general. He has dedicated so much time to the team, and he’s so passionate. It’s fun playing for someone like that.”

This year has been her break-out season, notching three goals so far and being the team’s third leading scorer with nine points.

“She’s having a good year,” Champion said. “The past four or five games, she’s been one of our best players.”

Schwetye brings an interesting combination of speed and grittiness up top and in the midfield for the Billikens.

“As a starting midfielder, she adds speed and intensity, whether or not she’s scoring goals,” Champion said. “But she also brings hardiness, even though she’s not big.”

As the Billikens face the season finale against Wisconsin on Sunday, Schwetye’s best games may be in the C-USA Tournament in Milwaukee.

“She’s gotten more confident as the season has gone along,” Champion said. “She belongs in the midfield. We had to use her up top earlier. But she’s much more comfortable in the midfield.”

“I feel that each game, I get in better shape,” Schwetye said. “I tried to step up my play and now I’m playing more. I feel more comfortable working with the system now. It’s easier to adjust now since we’ve been able to practice the different styles that we’ve been using.”

Schwetye expects the Billikens’ recent surge to continue into the conference tournament.

“We’re going to continue playing hard. If we play together like we have, success will come,” Schwetye said. “We’re approaching the games knowing that we can win if we play together and play our own way. That alone is winning.”